Ladder



Jan. 15, 1952 Filed June 4, 1949 R. o. BALOGH 2,582,520

LADDER I 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVEN TOR. 7PM 0. 19/1406 BY Jan. 15, 1952 R.o. BALOGH 2,532,520

LADDER Filed June 4, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Patented Jan. 15, 19522,582,520 LADDER Roy 0. Balogh, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor, by mesneassignments, to McCabe-Powers Auto Body 00., St. Louis, Mo., acorporation of Missouri Application June 4, 1949, Serial No. 97,161

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to a ladder adapted to extend, either in itselfor by a movable prolongation, to considerable height. One of the objectsof the invention is to provide suitable bracing trusses for longitudinalrails of the ladder, so that the ladder may have sufficient strength andstiffness without undue weight. Another feature relates to the rungs ofthe ladder, the object being to provide such members in the form of lowcost which may be readily replaced from time to time if they becomedistorted.

My invention is illustrated in the drawings hereof and is hereinaftermore fully explained and the essential novel features set out in theclaims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my ladder equipped withan extended portion embodying the same trussing and rung features; Fig.2 is a cross section of the ladder indicated by the line 22 of Fig. 1;Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the ladder looking at thestrut of Fig. 2, as indicated by the line 3 3 on Fig. 2; Figs. 4 and 5are details on correspondingly numbered lines on Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is afragmentary view of the ladder showing particularly the rungs and theirattachment to the longitudinal rails; Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of oneof the rung attachments, being in the nature of a fragmentary elevationindicated by the line 1-! on Fig. 3; Fig. 8 is an axial section througha portion of a rung, showing its mounting, the position being indicatedby the line 8-8 on Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a view of a portion of one of therungs and of one of its mountings, as indicated by the'line 99 on Fig. 8looking upwardly.

In the drawings, It) indicates one of the two rails or longitudinal barsof my ladder carrying suitable rungs 30. Fig. 1 shows at I l the railsof an extension of the ladder l suitably mounted thereon and projectingabove it. Each of the rails l0 and II is braced by a truss of thisinvention which stiffens and strengthens the same and avoids undulyheavy material for the rails.

The trussing comprises a pair of upright struts I 2 secured to each ofthe rails in and II and suitable tension bars I3, I 4 and I resting onand anchored to said struts. Each of the struts l2 has a fork l2a at itsupper end and the opposite wings of this fork are bifurcated bydownwardly extending notches, so that the fork in effect presents fourupstanding prongs spaced at the four corners of the horizontalrectangle. The tension bars l4 and I5 are secured at their far ends tothe ladder by reason of passing through a bracket 1'5 or a doubled earon a bracket l1 extending across the end of the rail and onto the upperand underside thereof. On these rods l4 and I 5 beyond the brackets arethreaded nuts. At the other end of the rods each rod is threaded into atransverse pin 18 which occupies the notches in the fork |2a at the headof the strut l2.

Between the two struts I2 is the rod I3, the end portions of which arethreaded into transverse pins l9 which also lie in the notches of thefork |2a of the strut. The rods are held in the fork bysuitable'transverse pins 20 extending through the arms l2a above the rod13.

Between the two struts 2 is the rod I 3, the end portions of which arethreaded into transverse pins H! which also lie in the notches of thefork In of the strut. The rods are held in the fork by suitabletransverse pins 20 extending through the arms I 2a above the rod IS.

The upright struts [2 are shown as being made rigid with angle brackets2i at their lower ends which brackets extend onto the outer face of therail It or the inner face of the rail II and overhang the top of suchrail. These brackets are secured in place by bolts 22 extending throughthe bracket and rail. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I have indicated the lowerpart of the rail II] as reinforced by a channel-shaped metal member 23on its outer face and overlapping at its upper and lower edges.

It will be seen that the construction described provides thoroughlystiffened rails in of the main ladder or those ll of the extension. Thestruts I2 extend upwardly from the outer side of the rails I0 and thenare bent inwardly, or they extend from the inner side of the extensionrails l l and are then bent outwardly, so that in either case thetension rods come directly over the rails.

I have shown in Fig. 1 a suitable standard 26 for carrying the ladderdescribed, the ladder being pivoted to this standard on an axisindicated at 21. Suitable mechanism not shown mounted on the ladder l0and the extension ll serves to project that extension as desired. I haveindicated in Fig. 1 a suitable hand wheel 28 for operating the extendingmechanism. This View shows also a telescopic tie 29 connecting thestandard 26 with an ear Ita on theladder and operable by suitablemechanism not shown for tipping the ladder on its pivot. The laddersupport, the tipping mechanism and the extension means, however, are nopart of the present invention.

Between the two rails ID or H on the ladder or its extension aresuitable rungs 30. These rungs are metal tubes, the end portions ofwhich occupy openings in the rails. On the outer side of the ladder Iprovide stopping plates 3| which are abutted by the ends of the rungs.The rungscarry diametric pins 35 which when the rungs are in place abutthe inner surface of the rails. Suitable collars 35 surround the rungson the inner face of the rails and overhang the diametric pins 35 andabut the inner face of the rails, as shown in Fig. 8. The collars areformed as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 and have cylindrical portions snuglysurrounding the rungs, and recessed intermediate portions to house theends of the pins 35, and finally flat flanged portions to engage therail face. Suitable cross bolts 3'! extend through the outer platesthrough the rails and through the collars 36 and carry nuts 39 on theirends, securing all of the parts in place.

The provision of the removable collars 33 and the rungs carrying thecross pins 35 retained in place by those collars, provides very readymeans whereby a bent or distorted rung may be replaced by a fresh rung.The removal of the nuts 39 allows the removal of the coilar 36, thusfreeing the diametric pin 35 so that it may be driven out of the rung.The freed bolts 3? may also be withdrawn from the rail, which frees theplate 3|. Accordingly, any rung may be moved outwardly through the railits end portion normally occupies.

It will be seen that by the provision of rungs and the provision forbracing the rails of the ladder I have provided a structure adapted foreconomic construction and ready assemblage. The trussing of the railsallows them to be materially lighter than otherwise permissible. Theadjustable anchorages for the ends of the tie rods enables the rods tobe given the desired tension in their seats. Any distortion of the partsfrom use may be readily remedied.

49 indicates insulators mounted on the rods !3. I prefer to use one ofthese on each of these rods. These insulators may be slidable along therods and thus available for the operator as he mounts the ladder, andthey serve to protect him from shock if the upper end of the laddershould inadvertently encounter a charged conductor.

The claims of the present application are directed to the claims on thereinforced ladder construction. Claims directed to the construction ofthe joint between the rung and rail are presented in my divisionalapplication, Serial No. 147,274, filed March 2, 1950.

I claim:

1. In a ladder, the combination of a rail, a strut secured thereto andprojecting therefrom, a forkat the free end of said strut having wingsin the plane of said rail, aligning notches through both wings of saidfork, and a tension rod secured at one end to the rail and at the otherend having a cross pin occupying said notches.

2. In a ladder, the combination with a pair of rails and suitable rungsconnecting them, of a pair of trusses for the two rails respectively,each truss comprising a strut secured to the rail and projectingtherefrom and having thereon a forked end transverse to said rail, eachwing of the fork being bifurcated, two tension rods having transversepins at their adjacent ends, both of said rods occupying the fork of thestrut and both of said pins occupying the crotch of the bifurcatedwings.

3. In a ladder, the combination with one of the rails of a strut securedthereto, said strut having a forked end transverse to said rail withnotches in its two side members, and a tension rod anchored at one endto means carried by the rail and at the other end threaded into aprojecting cross pin, said rod extending between the side members ofsaid fork and having its pin occupying the notches of the fork.

4. In a ladder, the combination with the rails, of a strut having at oneend a bracket resting against the edge and side of a rail and securedthereto, said strut having a forked free end transverse to said railwith notches in its two side wings, and a pair of tension rods eachhaving a projecting cross pin, said rods extending between the arms ofsaid fork and having their pins occupying the notches of the fork.

5. In a ladder, the combination of a pair of rails and rungs betweenthem, a pair of struts secured to each rail, each strut having a fork atits free end transverse to said rails which fork has transverse notchesin its arms, inclined rods anchored at opposite ends to the end portionsof the rail, said rods carrying cross pins occupying the notches of theadjacent struts, and a tension rod substantially parallel with the railand having cross pins at its opposite ends also occupying the notches ofthe struts.

6. In a ladder, the combination of a rail, a strut secured thereto andprojecting therefrom, a fork transverse to said rails at the free end ofsaid strut, aligning notches through both arms of said fork, a pair oftension rods secured at their distant ends to means carried by the rail,said rods at their adjacent ends each having a cross pin occupying saidnotches, the rod having threads and each threaded in a passage in thecross pin, the cross pins occupying the notches of the strut when therods occupy the space between the fork arms, and transverse pinsextending through and secured to the arms of said fork on either side ofthe notch for holding the rods and cross pins therein.

7. In a ladder, the combination of a rail, a strut secured thereto andprojecting therefrom, a four-pronged fork mounted on the free end ofsaid strut forming intersecting aligned notches between thecorresponding prongs, one of said notches being parallel and the otherof said notches being transverse to'the rails respectively, and atension rod secured at one end of the rail and at the other end having across pin occupying said transverse notches.

ROY O. BALOGH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 665,780 Hayward Jan. 8, 1901735,371 Hayward Aug. 4, 1903 976,074 Hartman Nov. 15, 1910 1,784,413Bauer Dec. 9, 1930 2,229,987 Phelps Jan. 28, 1941 2,316,312 Bone Apr.13, 1943 2,381,348 Gumz Aug. '7, 1945

